It’s Tulip time at Arundel Castle!

Arundel’s Tulip Festival is renowned for being one of the top tulip displays in Europe. Set against the breath-taking backdrop of the Castle, a sea of colourful blooms awaits and a showcase of over 120 different named tulips.

The Castle’s head gardener, Martin Duncan, launched the Tulip Festival, with support from the Duke and Duchess of Norfolk and their family.

Over the winter months, Martin and his team of gardeners have been busy planning and planting over 80,000 tulip bulbs throughout the Castle grounds and gardens.

The many different tulip varieties on display, include Red, Oxford, Apeldoorn and Ile de France, and also Spring bulbs: Narcissus, Camassia and Alliums.

In total, a staggering 123,000 bulbs have been planted to create a stunning display of colour and beauty as they burst into bloom.

Also, not to be missed is the Cut Flower Garden project, which this year has been redesigned using Yew Cones & Balls.

The team just managed to plant the tulips in time in over 500 pots incorporated in the tiered display.

Tickets to the Tulip Festival are available to book from early April onwards – a lot depends on the weather so could be earlier!
For more information or to book visit https://www.arundelcastle.org/events/tulip-festival/

There’s more to see around the Castle ground; terracotta pots overflowing with colour; spectacular displays in the flower beds and don’t miss The Antler Temple’s beautiful display of tulips, inside and out.

Not only do the beautiful flowers catch our attention, but their colourful names capture the imagination too. Here are some names to look out for: the Purple Prince, Curly Sue, Black Parrot, Flaming Flag, or Orange Emperor. Which tulip do you think is the Queen of the Night? We’ll give you a clue… look for the tulip that’s so dark it almost looks black.

And, if you think it’s only tulips, then think again! The Stumpery provides a wonderful habitat for bugs and beetles, and the fragrant lavender hedging and mixed herb edges encourage the bees and other insects to visit them.

The Tulip Festival can’t be matched anywhere else in the UK and dates for this years’ festival will be announced on our What’s On page.

Where do tulips get their name?

Have you ever noticed that tulip flowers are symmetrical? It is thought their name comes from the Persian word for turban, which the flower heads are thought to resemble.

Tulips, the bright, show-stopping flower in spring’s colour palette, originally grew in areas stretching from Southern Europe to Central Asia. From the 17th century onwards, tulips were popular throughout western Europe. So popular in fact that tulip bulbs were traded like stocks and shares.

Apeldoorn’s Elite Tulip

Here’s a guide to choosing the right tulip for what you want to say…

White tulips symbolise forgiveness, respect, purity and honour.
Bright yellow tulips signify hope and cheerfulness.
Red tulips symbolise eternal love and passion.
Pink tulips represent affection, caring and good wishes.
Purple tulips, resplendent against their green stalk, still signify elegance and royalty.

Arundel Castle’s head gardener Martin Duncan shares his growing tips below

Striking display in the Castle’s grass labyrinth

It’s best to plant tulip bulbs in November to avoid them rotting in the ground.
If you’re growing tulips in pots, water them regularly so that the soil doesn’t try out.
Tulips like half shade and half sunshine, so plant them in an area where ideally, they can enjoy benefit from both.
Whether you plant your tulips in a pot or the ground, make sure you plant the bulbs 4″ deep. This will help them to grow back year after year.